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The lead-up to the beginning of free company is all the time one of the best a part of the offseason. Followers fantasize about signing each big-name free agent, mock drafts are in full swing, and 31 fanbases are shopping for into the concept that “subsequent 12 months can be higher.”
For the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, there is just one small change to the 2020 season’s finish that might have made it higher, however altering that final result in 2021 can be a tall order. There have solely been three groups in NFL historical past who’ve gone to a few consecutive Tremendous Bowls: the Miami Dolphins from 1971-1973, the Buffalo Payments from 1990-1994 and the New England Patriots from 2016-2018. The Chiefs can have loads to work to do to affix these ranks, and step one on this course of can be free company.
I’ve already simulated a Chiefs mock offseason in my mock offseason collection which you can read here, however that mock offseason was simply displaying what one Chiefs offseason might appear like. The technique, gamers, and draft picks may very well be wildly completely different.
So it’s time to forged a large web.
Over the following week, the Seven Days of Free Company collection will look at a place group or two a day and do a deep dive into the fascinating free brokers after which go over who may very well be on the Chiefs’ radar. The lists will embrace all varieties of names, not simply the big-name ones everybody is aware of. The objective can be to offer some publicity for the mid-range or under-the-radar free brokers that many followers should not have publicity to until their workforce indicators them.
First up is huge receiver.
Observe: 2020 stats for every participant can be listed subsequent to them in every part.
The Headliners
Allen Robinson (Bears) – 16 video games performed, 102 receptions, 1250 yards, 6 touchdowns
Kenny Golladay (Lions) – 5 video games performed, 20 receptions, 338 yards, 2 touchdowns
Chris Godwin (Buccaneers) – 12 video games performed, 65 receptions, 840 yards, 7 touchdowns
A really deep huge receiver class is headlined by some critical expertise on the high.
The rub about these three names is that it’s extra possible than not they’re franchise tagged. Godwin and Golladay, particularly, are trending in direction of the tag.
If these gamers by some means make it to free company, all three can be improbable suits for many groups. The headliner of the entire class is Allen Robinson, who has shined on the sphere despite the fact that his entire profession has been catching footballs from Blake Bortles and Mitchell Trubisky. Robinson is a bodily receiver who runs crisp routes and may very well be one of the best contested-catch huge receiver in the entire league. His 100 catches in 2020 confirmed that he will be an elite huge receiver with anybody at quarterback and that may earn him an enormous payday if he hits free company.
Kenny Golladay offers the identical sort of recreation as Robinson however with a bit much less upside and more moderen accidents. Chris Godwin is a distinct sort of participant than the opposite two however as an enormous slot huge receiver who also can play outdoors, Godwin’s recreation is translatable to nearly each offense within the league.
Godwin and Golladay can be cheaper than Robinson, however as a result of they’ve a excessive probability to get the franchise tag, they may come on the steep price of a draft decide and a brand new contract. Any potential patrons must weigh that price versus what these receivers supply on the sphere, as the price will most likely be $16 million APY or extra plus a day-two decide within the NFL draft.
The B-Tier
Will Fuller V (Texans) – 11 video games performed, 53 receptions, 879 yards, 8 touchdowns
JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers) – 16 video games performed, 97 receptions, 831 yards, 9 touchdowns
Corey Davis (Titans) – 14 video games performed, 65 receptions, 984 yards, 5 touchdowns
Marvin Jones (Lions) – 16 video games performed, 76 receptions, 978 yards, 9 touchdowns
Curtis Samuel (Panthers) – 15 video games performed, 77 receptions, 851 yards, 3 touchdowns
Antonio Brown (Buccaneers) – 8 video games performed, 45 receptions, 483 yards, 4 touchdowns
T.Y. Hilton (Colts) – 15 video games performed, 56 receptions, 762 yards, 5 touchdowns
Sammy Watkins (Chiefs) – 10 video games performed, 37 receptions, 421 yards, 2 touchdowns
This huge receiver class is deep and it reveals within the group after the headliners. All of those guys is usually a starter for any workforce within the league they usually all convey their very own taste. That is going to be the meat of the huge receiver class and fairly a couple of of those guys can be getting good cash ($10-14 million APY) available on the market.
Will Fuller and Curtis Samuel are the speediest of the huge receivers on this tier. Fuller had a terrific 2020 till he was hit with a suspension for efficiency enhancing medication which made him miss 5 video games in 2020 and can have him miss the primary recreation of 2021. The query with Fuller can be centered round his well being. His one wholesome 12 months within the NFL was the 12 months he bought busted for PEDs.
Samuel is a really intriguing possibility at receiver who has been pushed behind Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore on the Carolina huge receiver depth chart. Samuel, a operating again/huge receiver hybrid popping out of faculty, is shifty, quick, and runs some good routes from the slot and from outdoors. The one knock on Samuel is that he lacks manufacturing within the NFL as he has solely racked up a bit of over 2,500 whole yards within the NFL in 4 years.
Corey Davis and JuJu Smith-Schuster are gamers coming off their rookie offers on the lookout for an enormous payday. Each gamers can play at most of the positions at huge receiver and mix good route-running with good playmaking capability. Davis is a little more of a query mark as his manufacturing has not matched the pedigree of his draft decide, which was fifth total within the 2017 draft.
The three previous guys within the B-Tier are nonetheless taking part in effectively however are in direction of the top of their careers. Marvin Jones Jr. simply continues to be a reliable goal and can be probably transferring to his third workforce in free company. Even with accidents to Matthew Stafford final 12 months, Jones nearly put up a 1,000-yard season and paired it with 9 touchdowns. He’s a contested-catch specialist who also can stretch the sphere and supply some yards after the catch. Jones is a premier possibility for groups on the lookout for a short-term answer at huge receiver.
Antonio Brown was one other previous man who performed effectively final 12 months. In the direction of the top of the 12 months, Brown actually got here on and had some game-breaking performs in a stacked receiving corps. Brown comes with dangers, in fact, and only a few groups can take him on, so it’s laborious to say the place Brown can realistically go.
In contrast to the opposite older wideouts, T.Y. Hilton confirmed his age final 12 months and was noticeably much less explosive. He can nonetheless contribute for one more 12 months or two, nevertheless, so he can be an possibility for groups seeking to compete or have a bridge huge receiver.
The ultimate huge receiver in tier two is without doubt one of the Chiefs’ personal pending free brokers, Sammy Watkins. Watkins is a tweener on this free company class at huge receiver and it’s laborious to say how a lot groups will worth his skill-set versus his damage historical past. Bringing again Watkins does look like it may very well be within the playing cards for the Chiefs, and Watkins himself has mentioned how a lot he loves taking part in in Kansas Metropolis. Nevertheless, the query now’s whether or not the Chiefs need him again. At this level, it is laborious to say.
The Confirmed Roleplayers
Breshad Perriman (Jets) – 12 video games performed, 30 receptions, 505 yards, 3 touchdowns
Nelson Agholor (Raiders) – 16 video games performed, 48 receptions, 896 yards, 8 touchdowns
Josh Reynolds (Rams) – 16 video games performed, 52 receptions, 618 yards, 2 touchdowns
Keelan Cole (Jaguars) – 16 video games performed, 55 receptions, 642 yards, 5 touchdowns
Rashard Higgins (Browns) – 13 video games performed, 52 receptions, 599 yards, 4 touchdowns
Kendrick Bourne (49ers) – 15 video games performed, 49 receptions, 667 yards, 2 touchdowns
Damiere Byrd (Patriots) – 16 video games performed, 47 receptions, 604 yards, 1 landing
Chris Conley (Jaguars) – 15 video games performed, 40 receptions, 471 yards, 2 touchdowns
There are a very good quantity of confirmed roleplayers on the receiver place who ought to present dependable manufacturing at a less expensive price in comparison with the primary two tiers. Most of those guys will get contracts within the vary of $4-10 million APY on the open market as their skillset is effective within the league even when they don’t seem to be a bonafide beginning huge receiver.
Keelan Cole most likely leads this group of free brokers as he has had some good years for the Jags with some less-than-good quarterbacks. Cole’s rookie 12 months and 2020 season particularly stand out and present he may very well be a low-end beginning huge receiver.
After flaming out along with his unique workforce, the Baltimore Ravens, Breshad Perriman has carved out a pleasant area of interest position for himself within the NFL. The massive-bodied receiver has confirmed to be a secure outdoors cross catcher on his final two groups and can be a pleasant bridge man for any workforce to play outdoors.
Very similar to Perriman, Nelson Agholor busted out in Philadelphia. The speedster who had stone arms in Philly had a profession resurgence in Las Vegas catching passes from Derek Carr. Any workforce on the lookout for a downfield menace ought to test in on Agholor.
Josh Reynolds and Kendrick Bourne are each huge receivers out of the NFC West which have adopted related profession trajectories. Each carved out roles on their respective groups as a WR3 and run nice routes and have stable arms. They aren’t one of the best athletes on the market, however for a workforce on the lookout for reliable receiver assist, look no additional.
The Patriots lacked loads of huge receiver expertise final 12 months, however Damiere Byrd did present some promise with the elevated playtime. Byrd is a burner who might present some extra issues if he has a quarterback with a functioning arm throwing to him, which was not Cam Newton final 12 months.
Rashard Higgins and former Chief Chris Conley are reliable targets that two AFC groups have relied on to fill roles that is perhaps too giant for them. Higgins is a participant who runs some good routes and might play at many positions. Conley is a superb athlete however his arms actually maintain him again from being a reliable starter. If a workforce brings both of those two in to be a high-end WR3, that will be a terrific position for them.
The Previous Vets
Emmanuel Sanders (Saints) – 17 video games performed, 61 receptions, 726 yards, 5 touchdowns
Golden Tate (Giants) – 15 video games performed, 35 receptions, 388 yards, 2 touchdowns
Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) – 13 video games performed, 54 receptions, 409 yards, 1 landing
A.J. Inexperienced (Bengals) – 16 video games performed, 47 receptions, 523 yards, 2 touchdowns
Danny Amendola (Lions) – 14 video games performed, 46 receptions, 602 yards, 0 touchdowns
For all 5 of those guys, it’s laborious to say how a lot they’ve left within the tank. Emmanuel Sanders appeared one of the best out of those 5 huge receivers final 12 months, giving the Saints and Drew Brees a pleasant goal for his or her playoff run whereas Michael Thomas was injured. Sanders most likely has one other 12 months left within the tank as a workforce’s slot receiver.
Golden Tate, Danny Amendola, and Larry Fitzgerald all present high quality slot play with clean routes in the event that they select to not retire. A.J. Inexperienced might present a big-bodied goal on the skin for a workforce in determined want of a boundary receiver to win soar balls. All 5 gamers have a very good probability of retiring however will be serviceable on a one-year deal as a workforce’s WR3.
Different Notable Names
DeSean Jackson (Eagles) – 5 video games performed, 14 receptions, 236 yards, 1 landing
Mohammed Sanu (Lions) – 10 video games performed, 17 receptions, 187 yards, 1 landing
Willie Snead (Ravens) – 13 video games performed, 33 receptions, 432 yards, 3 touchdowns
Adam Humphries (Titans) – 7 video games performed, 23 receptions, 228 yards, 2 touchdowns
Phillip Dorsett (Seahawks) – 0 video games performed
Dede Westbrook (Jaguars) – 1 recreation performed, 1 receptions, 4 yards, 0 touchdowns
Demarcus Robinson (Chiefs) – 16 video games performed, 45 receptions, 466 yards, 3 touchdowns
Zach Pascal (Colts, RFA) – 16 video games performed, 44 receptions, 629 yards, 5 touchdowns
Tim Patrick (Broncos, RFA) – 15 video games performed, 51 receptions, 742 yards, 6 touchdowns
Zay Jones (Raiders) – 16 video games performed, 14 receptions, 154 yards, 1 landing
Khadarel Hodge (Browns, RFA) – 9 video games performed, 11 receptions, 180 yards, 0 touchdowns
Allen Lazard (Packers, RFA) – 10 video games performed, 33 receptions, 451 yards, 3 touchdowns
Noah Brown (Cowboys) – 16 video games performed, 14 receptions, 154 yards, 0 touchdowns
It is a hodgepodge of gamers with varied ability units at completely different factors of their profession however they’ve one factor in frequent: they are going to be low cost. The few good receivers on this group are restricted free brokers and need to be talked about, however until their earlier workforce declines to make use of an RFA tag on them, they won’t hit free company.
Who ought to the Chiefs goal?
When wanting on the gamers in The Headliners, it’s laborious to not dream of Allen Robinson. If the Chiefs are going to swing for the fences, it must be for Robison. Robinson, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce would type probably one of the best trio of pass-catchers a workforce has assembled in current reminiscence. This kind of transfer appears not possible in listening to how Brett Veach has talked about free company, nevertheless, so until Veach is throwing up a thick smokescreen, do not maintain your breath.
With Watkins leaving in free company, it is smart for the Chiefs to signal a participant from the B-Tier. With the Chiefs most likely being priced out of the younger guys within the B-Tier because of groups throwing round more cash as a result of age of the participant, a play at signing Marvin Jones Jr. or T.Y. Hilton looks as if a very good match to certain up the place. I personally chose to sign Marvin Jones Jr. in the mock offseason series as an X-WR. He has dependable arms, he is an efficient deep menace and he has stable yards after catch capability. Most significantly, he’s extra sturdy than Watkins and can be accessible when the Chiefs want him essentially the most, not like Watkins in 2020. Each gamers may very well be signed on short-term offers that the Chiefs might pair with a rookie huge receiver in order that rookie doesn’t have to start out instantly in an offense that may be notoriously laborious on rookies.
The Confirmed Roleplayers are intriguing choices for the Chiefs to no less than construct out depth on the huge receiver place heading into a really deep huge receiver draft class. The gamers that appear to suit what the Chiefs want essentially the most are the pair of NFC West huge receivers, Kendrick Bourne and Josh Reynolds. Each gamers present a dimension to the Chiefs’ receiver room that’s wanted as each gamers are over six toes tall and are clean route runners from all receiver positions, together with X-WR. The plan when signing both participant shouldn’t be for them to be locked in starter at X-WR, however they’ve the flexibility to take action. Platooning both participant with a rookie huge receiver is a pleasant pairing that will give the Chiefs choices at receiver that match or exceed their targets from final 12 months.
The one identify out of the Previous Vets that’s fascinating to me is A.J. Inexperienced. If the Chiefs miss out on all X-WRs in free company and the draft, as an emergency possibility at X-WR, they might do worse than Inexperienced in 2021 as he most likely has yet another 12 months within the tank. Emmanuel Sanders is one other high quality participant, even at this level of his profession, however it’s laborious to say how his historical past with the Chiefs earlier in his profession would have an effect on any try to signal him.
Closing Ideas
Because it stands now, with the franchise tag window nonetheless open till March 9, this free agent huge receiver group is a deep and impactful one. There are respectable top-20 gamers on the place accessible, there’s a breadth of expertise within the group, and any workforce that’s on the lookout for a large receiver in free company must be happy. With a deep free company class and draft at huge receiver, it’s laborious to say what the market can be for a few of these gamers, particularly the roleplayers and veterans. In a cap-strapped 12 months, it’s laborious to not forecast the deep expertise on the place driving down costs for a few of these receivers and letting groups get a few of these gamers on a budget. A couple of NFL groups will get steals from this group of free agent huge receivers, it’s nearly discovering the best match. If the Chiefs want to add a large receiver in free company, this isn’t a nasty class to take action.
Learn Extra: Kansas City Chiefs Mock Offseason Part 3: Mock Draft and Final Roster
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